Suzuki Hiroyuki, Furuya Junichi, Hidaka Rena, Motomatsu Yuko, Hara Ryuzo, Kabasawa Yuji, Tohara Haruka, Minakuchi Shunsuke
Department of Gerodontology and Oral Rehabilitation, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Oral Function Management, Graduate School of Dentistry, Showa Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
Support Care Cancer. 2025 Apr 16;33(5):386. doi: 10.1007/s00520-025-09453-2.
To examine the impact of oral health care provided by nurses who received instruction from dental professionals on the oral health of terminally ill cancer patients and determine the optimal cutoff value of the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT) total score for triaging patients in need of oral health management by dental professionals.
In total, 115 terminally ill cancer patients (66 males and 49 females; average age 73.5 ± 10.9 years) who received oral health management during palliative care at Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital between April 2017 and August 2019 were included. Oral health management was conducted by dental professionals (D group) or nurses educated by dental professionals (Ns group). Oral health status was evaluated using the OHAT at the initial dental consultation in palliative care and approximately 2 weeks later.
Both groups showed significant improvement in the OHAT total score and OHAT sub-items of the lips, tongue, gums and tissues, saliva, oral cleanliness, and dental pain. However, sub-items of natural teeth and dentures improved significantly only in the D group. Additionally, the optimal cutoff value for the OHAT total score in determining the need for oral health management by dental professionals was 6.
Oral health care conducted by nurses who received instruction from dental professionals can improve oral health status. Patients with OHAT total scores of ≥ 6 should be considered for oral health management by dental professionals.
探讨接受牙科专业人员指导的护士提供的口腔保健对晚期癌症患者口腔健康的影响，并确定口腔健康评估工具（OHAT）总分的最佳临界值，以对需要牙科专业人员进行口腔健康管理的患者进行分诊。
纳入2017年4月至2019年8月期间在东京医科齿科大学医院接受姑息治疗期间接受口腔健康管理的115例晚期癌症患者（男性66例，女性49例；平均年龄73.5±10.9岁）。口腔健康管理由牙科专业人员（D组）或接受牙科专业人员培训的护士（Ns组）进行。在姑息治疗的初次牙科咨询时及大约2周后，使用OHAT评估口腔健康状况。
两组患者的OHAT总分以及嘴唇、舌头、牙龈和组织、唾液、口腔清洁度和牙痛等OHAT子项目均有显著改善。然而，天然牙和假牙的子项目仅在D组有显著改善。此外，确定牙科专业人员进行口腔健康管理需求时OHAT总分的最佳临界值为6。
接受牙科专业人员指导的护士进行的口腔保健可改善口腔健康状况。OHAT总分≥6的患者应考虑由牙科专业人员进行口腔健康管理。
